


The Pathway to Something Better

by cheyla



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen, Hogwarts Founders Era
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-15
Updated: 2018-01-11
Packaged: 2018-04-09 09:47:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 19,281
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4343789
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cheyla/pseuds/cheyla
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Helga Hufflepuff had a dream to build not only a school for people like her, but a community where wizards and witches were no longer isolated, where they could share their lives and experiences with others like them. However, such a dream is difficult to achieve. And unbeknownst to future generations, there was almost a fifth founder of Hogwarts.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The castle was a scene of destruction. How had a sight that was normally so glorious and majestic come crumbling down?

The survivors of the battle crowded into the Great Hall, looking around skittishly. It hadn't fully hit them that the battle was over. The survivors were still on alert for curses to fly through the air or for another part of the castle to explode, hit by a stray spell.

Some of the younger students gathered together, sobbing quietly. They couldn't forget the sight of the dead, the sight of bodies laid out across the Great Hall. A few of the older students wandered around the castle, picking up pieces rubble before discarding them. They wanted to clean, to start the recovery of their school, but the destruction was so great that they didn't know where to start.

There were a few words here and there but for the most part the large room was quiet. It wasn't silent—the muffled sobs prevented true silence—but it was quiet enough to give the room a solemn and eerie atmosphere.

A lone phoenix perched in the rafters, crooning softly. His intelligent eyes scanned the room, looking for someone that needed his help. After a moment, he took off into the air, his destination a seventh year with a badly gashed thigh. She would bleed out eventually if the wound wasn't treated soon.

A plump, gray-haired witch looked around. This wasn't right. The battle was won and the war was mostly over. It should be a time of celebration but instead it was a time of sorrow. She knew the dead had to be mourned but the students needed to be distracted, especially the younger ones. They didn't need to see the dead counted and named. They would learn the death toll soon enough.

The Herbology professor gathered the students around her. She gathered her Hufflepuffs and the youngest of the students first, drawing them away from the Great Hall and into an area less damaged. The other professors noticed her efforts and ushered their own students toward the classroom where the Hufflepuffs had gathered. Soon, the majority of the Hogwarts students had crowded into the classroom, glancing around in confusion. The first years through the fourth years were all present, as well as half of the fifth years. A few of the sixth years and seventh years lingered outside the hallway, wondering what was about to happen.

"We say at the beginning of each year that Hogwarts was founded by four great wizards and witches. Salazar Slytherin, Godric Gryffindor, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Helga Hufflepuff. Not much is known about their time before Hogwarts but we do know that all four of them were dedicated to this school. They believed that students were the future, the pathway to something better."

Professor Sprout took a deep breath.

"I don't know about you, but I don't think this is better. I don't think that our four founders would have wanted their school to become a battleground, a place of destruction. They wouldn't have wanted their place of creation to be tainted in such a way. We can't do anything about what happened this past night but we can pave the future. We can stop things like this from happening again.

"But to stop this from happening again, we need to understand our history. Every year I hear students reference the great feud between Godric Gryffindor and Salazar Slytherin and how Slytherin left the school in a fit of rage, but they never talk about what it took to start our school. They never mention the sheer determination of our four founders or the trials they encountered. They never talk about how the friendship between the four started.

"Before we make any judgments about the people in other houses and reignite the rivalries, we must remember that there were never supposed to be any feuds. Hogwarts was supposed to be a place of community and friendship between people with similar talents."


	2. Chapter 2

A red-haired girl laughed quietly in her nursery. Her brothers had been taken away to their rooms by servants since it was dark out and approaching their bed times.

Colorful balls of light circled above the girl, floating in the air. When she grew tired of their current formation, the girl waved her hands and the orbs floated to their new positions and began dancing again.

"Helga?" a woman called from out in the corridor. The girl gasped and tried to make the orbs go away. She didn't want her mother to see them. The orbs of lights would almost certainly make her mother angry if she spotted them.

The orbs continued to dance. Helga pushed her hands toward the ceiling, trying to make the orbs float upwards. If they wouldn't disappear, maybe they could float high enough that her mother wouldn't see them.

Lady Hufflepuff entered the room. Her eyes widened as she took notice of a group of colorful orbs floating around the room, spinning in a circle, before a frown appeared on her lips.

"I'm sorry," Helga said quickly. "I didn't mean to."

Lady Hufflepuff looked at her daughter with a cautious expression.

"How long has this been going on?" she asked her only daughter.

"Only a few weeks," her daughter replied solemnly. "I don't know what it is, though."

Lady Hufflepuff sat down in a chair next to her daughter.

"I know what it is," she said, her frown becoming a small smile. "It's magic."

Helga's blue eyes widened. "Magic?" she asked. Her mother nodded.

"When you get a bit older, your father and I will teach you how to manage it," she told her daughter.

Helga's eyes lit up in delight.

"But," he mother continued. Helga's face fell. There was always a 'but' she was beginning to realize. "You can't tell anyone. Magic should be kept a secret."

"Why?" Helga asked. Her mother smiled sadly.

"Because it's a special gift that not everyone has. We don't want to make them jealous," Lady Hufflepuff said. "Much like you don't want to make your brothers jealous when the cooks give you extra sweets or pastries."

Helga nodded in understanding. That made sense.

"I won't tell anyone," she said. "Will I be going to a school? Like how other girls go to school to learn how to become ladies?"

Her mother shook her head.

"No," she said, kissing her daughter's forehead. "There's no school for gifts like ours. Sleep well, little one."

Helga pouted as her mother left the room. She thought that it was foolish that there was no school for children like her. She knew that there had to be other children like her. Would they get to learn about their gifts? She hoped so. It wouldn't be fair if she got to learn magic while others didn't.

"I'll make a school some day," she whispered as she closed her eyes. "For people like me. One day."

_Eleven years later_

"Go to court?" Helga asked her parents in surprise. They had gathered to break their fast when they had broken the news. "But mother and I have never gone to court before."

Every year her father would go but he left her mother behind to tend to the children. Once her brothers had grown old enough, they had been presented to court. Helga had never expected that she needed to be presented as well. She was, after all, merely a girl.

"But why?" Helga asked.

"You are fifteen now," her father said. "More than old enough to start looking for a husband. Court is the best place for you to find a husband of a suitable rank."

"But what about my gifts?" Helga asked.

"You'll have to keep them hidden from the others at court. You have enough control now that you won't do something on accident."

Her father gripped her shoulders tightly.

"Understand," he warned. "You can't tell anyone about your gifts. Even the slightest suspicion that you are involved with things like that and you'll be dragged before the king on charges of witchcraft. And there's only one sentence for witchcraft."

Helga nodded mutely. She knew. The sentence had been pounded into her head every day since she began learning how to control her magic. To be charged with witchcraft meant receiving a death sentence, usually in the form of a hanging or being burned alive.

The morning meal was finished quietly. Helga kept her thoughts to herself, as she knew the decision had been made and nothing she said would stop her parents from bringing her to court. With the knowledge that she would have to keep her talents secret and all the stories and rumors she had heard about the backstabbing that went on, she wasn't sure that she wanted to go to court. She didn't want a husband, not if it meant leaving her family and being forced to hide her talents. Her parents had gotten lucky. Both of them had been magic users that had accidentally found each other. It had worked out for the best in the end.

Helga doubted that she would be as lucky as her parents. She had never heard of another magic user outside her family. She knew that they must exist elsewhere in the world but she also knew how careful those magic users had to be about their gifts if they didn't want to be killed.

Within the week, the carriage and a cart were being packed with their trunks. Much of their belongings were being left behind, as the Hufflepuff family only had a small suite of rooms in the castle. It would be nothing like their large home where Helga had grown up. Thankfully for most of the time, it would just be Helga and her parents, as her brothers would be traveling around the country, completing tasks for their king. It was typical of young, unmarried noblemen, as all of Helga's brothers were.

Helga thought the carriage ride would be enjoyable since she would get to see new lands and villages beyond what Lord Hufflepuff owned but it was a severe disappointment. The ride was unbearably bumpy and her mother insisted on keeping the drapes drawn to prevent sickness from getting in. However, that also meant that the carriage became stuffy with the summer heat and soon Helga was feeling trapped in the cramped space.

The youngest daughter of Lord Hufflepuff thought about requesting to ride a horse but she knew that both of her parents would deny her request. It would be unladylike, they would say, and completely improper. No noblewoman would ride a horse by herself.

It took the better part of the day for the family to arrive at the castle the king was currently residing in. With the curtains drawn, Helga couldn't see the outside of the castle as they approached and her first glimpse of the large stone building was of the courtyard where all nobility and their belongings entered. However, even that was enough to impress her. She had known that her family was well off—after all, they were nobility and blessed with land and treasures from the king every so often—but compared to the castle, her childhood home seemed like a mere shanty.

As Helga's father helped her and her mother from the carriage, Helga looked around, taking in all that she could. She still wasn't thrilled about being at court but now that she was here, she wanted to know everything that she could.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For anyone that's interested, I've created a Facebook page, where I'll be posting not only my updates, but also questions, polls, statuses about my writing, update schedules, milestones, new story ideas, and basically anything writing related I feel like posting. I would love to interact with my readers so feel free to post on the page. Search Cheyla in the Facebook search bar and you should be able to find it. The page's profile picture is a black and white baby dragon so you know you've found the right page.


	3. Chapter 3

Helga scurried away, intimidated by all the ladies that made up the Queen's entourage. It wasn't enough that they were all prettier than she was. They were immaculately dressed, soft-spoken, and talented in many arts. They could draw, dance, sew, and converse in many languages, not just the language spoken at court. Everything they did was delicate and lady-like and it was done with a purpose. They could keep the men at court entertained for hours.

The young woman understood that the Queen's entourage were always the most eligible ladies at court, groomed from birth to look and act a certain way. They hadn't had her upbringing, a quiet life in the country. They certainly never considered wrestling with their brothers, or arranging rooms in their manor for villagers that lost their homes in fires or poor weather, or secretly brewing healing potions in the kitchens for some extra finances when things were tight.

Helga knew that she would never fit in. She wasn't anything like those ladies and truthfully, she didn't want to be. Her best hope was that she would find a man who liked her cheeriness and plump figure enough to marry her and take her to his country home, where she could raise a family. She had no interest in politics. Life at court wasn't for her.

Helga stood outside the sitting room and leaned against the wall, trying to regain her wits. She gave a small yelp as she fell into a small crevice in the wall. They were all over the place. If one could fit into them, they were the perfect hiding spot.

As Helga struggled to free herself, she went over the interaction with the Queen's entourage in her mind.

As her mother introduced herself and Helga to the queen to be officially welcomed at court, Helga saw the pointing and the sneers on the other ladies faces. She overheard the whispered comments.

Their clothes were a few years out of date. Helga's dress was straining at the seams and stained in a few places. Her face was too red.

All of the comments had been about Helga while her mother had been overlooked. She wasn't quite sure how her mother had managed that. When they were finally dismissed, Helga could have sworn she caught a look of disappointment in the queen's eyes at her clumsy etiquette.

She hadn't expected to feel so intimidated. She had underestimated how unwelcoming the ladies of court could be. Most of them had grown up at court and probably viewed her as an uncultured country girl.

Helga had nearly freed herself when a dark-haired beauty exited the sitting room. The plump blue-eyed woman stilled herself. She didn't want to give the ladies of the court any more reason to mock her.

Helga hadn't noticed the woman among the Queen's ladies but there had been so many that she wouldn't have been surprised if she had missed one or two.

Ale or wine had spilled down the front of the woman's dress. The material was so dark that it was difficult to tell which liquid was responsible for the spreading stain. There were splatters of ink on her sleeves, showing that she must have been writing or drawing when the spill had occurred. The woman rushed past Helga and leaned against the wall, examining the stain.

The next thing the woman did was quite peculiar. Instead of continuing down the corridor to change into a new dress, the woman pulled out a thin stick and waved it once, muttering words that were too quiet to hear. The stain on her dress began to shrink right before Helga's eyes. Within a minute, it was as if the dress had never been ruined.

Helga thought the woman would rid her dress of the ink stains next but to her surprise, the woman put the stick away. It was a good thing she had, because a moment later a group of noblemen turned the corner, talking loudly. The dark-haired woman began to walk down the corridor. As she glided past the men, the nobles gave a small bow. The woman curtsied in return before moving on.

Once the noblemen and the woman were out of sight, Helga freed herself from the crevice and rushed back to her family's rooms in the castle. Once inside, she took a deep breath and mulled over what she had just seen.

The woman had used magic. Helga was sure of that. She had used a similar charm herself many times.

However, she didn't recognize the tool that had been used to help the charm along. It was like nothing she had ever seen.

Helga had to learn who the woman was. She had never met another magic user, outside of her family. It should be easy to learn who the woman was in a court this size.

* * *

Her assumption turned out to be false.

Finding the woman was harder than Helga expected it to be. She had forgotten the number of women that were with the court. Anyone with a title and of marrying age was at court this year, as there were rumors that there was to be a great tournament and every knight or lord would be coming to try for the grand prize.

The few people she did ask couldn't help her very much. Her description of the women was too vague, they said. Dark brown hair and dark eyes were common and beautiful was relative to the person she asked. She didn't have a name or a title to help her search along.

After a few weeks, Helga was beginning to lose hope that she would see the woman again. There had been no sign of her. The woman had never reappeared again amongst the Queen's ladies so Helga doubted that she had been a lady-in-waiting. Judging by the fact that the woman wasn't well known, Helga would have said that the woman was a lesser noble, just a lady or a baroness. She doubted that the woman would have a higher title.

Just when she was about to give up hope, Helga saw the woman stepping out of the carriage one afternoon. She hurried down to the stables, where the carriage would be dropped off after the trunks were unloaded.

"Excuse me," she said, stopping the driver of the carriage. "Whom does this carriage belong to?"

The driver glanced at the carriage.

"Lord and Lady Ravenclaw, miss," he said.

"So the woman I just saw was Lady Ravenclaw?" Helga asked. The driver nodded.

"Yes, miss," he said.

Now that she had the woman's name, it would become easier to find the woman. And once she found Lady Ravenclaw, she could discover the best place and time to confront the woman. What they needed to talk about was best done in private.

A few days later and Helga had found the perfect place to talk to Lady Ravenclaw. According to the servants she asked, the woman often retreated to a sitting room in the mornings, after her fast had been broken. So far, Helga hadn't seen anyone else enter the room. Nobles and servants would walk past it but their eyes slid over the doorframe, like they didn't recognize that it was there.

When she was certain Lady Ravenclaw was inside the sitting room, Helga approached the woman.

"Hello," she said, entering the sitting room. The dark-haired woman looked up, startled. Her eyes widened.

"Good morning," she said, trying to mask her surprise. "I don't think we have had the pleasure of meeting yet."

Helga nodded.

"I am Helga," she introduced herself. "Daughter to Lord and Lady Hufflepuff."

"The youngest child," Lady Ravenclaw acknowledged. "I heard of your arrival, though I had to return to Ravenclaw lands soon after you came to court. I am Lady Rowena Ravenclaw."

"I know," Helga said with a small smile. "Might we talk about something? It is rather important."

Rowena gave a hesitant nod, twisting her hands in her lap, and gestured for Helga to sit in the chair beside her.

Helga fidgeted in her chair as she tried to think of a way to approach the subject gently. She didn't want to scare off the woman.

"I saw you on my first day of court," she said. "Among the Queen's ladies."

Rowena nodded.

"I was saying my farewells to the Queen that day," she said. "Though I am loathe to say that I do not remember you."

Helga was not very surprised. She wasn't very memorable. She had been told that multiple times but she had never tried to change that about herself. Blending and mingling was often a good thing. She had noticed in the past few weeks that those in the center of attention were often the first to feel the wrath of the king and queen.

"I left the room a short while before you took your leave," Helga continued. "When you did, you were trying to clean your dress. I believe wine or ale had been spilled on it."

Rowena's eyes were still narrowed in confusion. Helga took a deep breath, knowing that what she would say next was when the woman would begin to panic.

"You cleaned up your dress but not through any method I have seen before. You used a thin stick and waved it to make the stains disappear."

Lady Ravenclaw abruptly stood up, eyes wide. To Helga's surprise, there were glimpses of anger in Rowena's dark eyes.

"I have no idea what you are talking about," she said sharply. "And I think it would be best if you left."

"Wait," Helga said. "I'm not accusing you of anything."

Rowena's mouth tightened. Helga held out a hand.

"I can do something similar," the younger girl said. Her blue eyes narrowed in concentration as she called a ball of light to hover over the palm of her hand. Rowena's dark eyes widened as a blue orb of light appeared.

"Oh," she said simply, retaking her seat. "So you have the gift of magic as well."

Helga nodded.

"It runs in my family," she admitted. "Does it run in yours?"

Rowena nodded.

"Through my father," she said. "My mother knew of it but she did not have it. One of her cousins had a similar gift."

Helga's smile widened.

"I am happy to know that there are others like my family," she said.

Rowena glanced at the girl.

"Though I am happy to know that there are others like me here at court," she said slowly. "It would be best if you left me alone for some time."

Helga's blue eyes widened. She hadn't expected a response like that, especially after she had shown Rowena her magic.

"But I have questions—" she protested. Rowena held up a hand for silence.

"I will approach you again once I have had time to think," she said. "I am a private woman and it takes me some time to adjust to others knowing my personal matters."

Helga frowned but nodded. She could understand, even though the news upset her.

"I hope that you will approach me soon," she said, getting to her feet and bustling out of the room.

Once in her personal quarters, Helga rested against a wall and sighed. Things had not gone quite as she expected but she realized that they could have gone a lot worse.

"Mother was looking for you," one of her brothers said. Helga gasped and straightened. She glanced at him. It was her eldest brother, Tomus.

"Do you know why?" she asked him. Tomus shook his head.

"She was just looking for you, wondering where you snuck off to."

"I went to talk to another lady of court," Helga said smoothly. "I had some questions about her clothing. It was the newest style and I was wondering who had tailored her clothes." Her brother didn't look convinced but he didn't call her out on the lie.

"Mother is in her room," he said before leaving their quarters.

Helga took a deep breath before scurrying to talk to her mother. She didn't want to keep the woman waiting.

Helga's mother was sitting in a chair next to the bed that she shared with her husband. She was embroidering a new handkerchief for Lord Hufflepuff.

"My daughter," she said, greeting Helga with a smile and setting aside her embroidery.

"Mother," Helga replied. "You were looking for me?"

Lady Hufflepuff nodded.

"I have received a letter," she said. "From a potential suitor."

Helga's face fell. This conversation again.

"Is he coming to court soon?" she asked, tone turning slightly bitter. "To come and see what he might be marrying?" Once he saw her, chances were that Helga would never hear from the man again. She wasn't considered beautiful by court standards and most men wanted to marry a court beauty. She understood why her parents had waited so long to introduce her to court life.

"You are a lovely girl," Helga's mother informed her daughter.

"Only on the inside," Helga replied and turned on her heel. She retreated to her room, where she sat on the bed and stared at the wall. She didn't know how long she sat there but her room darkened and when she was summoned for the evening meal, candles were being lit.


	4. Chapter 4

The moon had nearly completed another cycle before Lady Rowena Ravenclaw approached Helga's family.

Helga had been out for a stroll, accompanied by her youngest brother, so she was only able to catch the end of the conversation Lady Ravenclaw was holding with Lord and Lady Hufflepuff.

"She's a girl with potential," the dark-haired woman was saying. "In accordance with your wishes, I could attempt to groom some of that potential so she could appear more suitable for the men here at court. Everyone improves their family's standings with the marriages of their daughters. I'm sure that with the right care and attention, your daughter would be able to catch the eye of someone a touch grander than a knight."

"I'm not sure that is in my daughter's desires," Helga's father murmured. His wife shot him a harsh look.

"What sort of grooming would you bestow upon my daughter?" she asked the younger woman. Rowena smiled thinly.

"With some private lessons, I'm sure I could teach Helga how to take advantage of her appearance and how to navigate the inner workings of court. So many young girls come to court end up ostracized because of careless mistakes. I'll show her how to avoid those mistakes. I'm sure my Lady Hufflepuff has taught her some things but I think Helga could benefit from the experience of someone closer in age and who has been at court for most of her life."

Helga's mother relaxed somewhat but her posture was still on the stiff side.

"While I am grateful for your offer," she replied, "it was my understanding that you were leaving court for a few weeks to return home. I do not believe that my daughter could fully benefit from your tutelage before you leave."

Rowena glanced down at her lap before looking up.

"If you would be agreeable, I also offer to take her to my home and teach her there. There are some lessons that would be better taught away from the pressures of court."

Sensing the hesitation, Rowena continued. "She would be entirely safe. Ravenclaw lands are rarely visited and those that do visit are usually those seeking the comforts of a religious order, ready to give up all material pleasures."

"I'm—" Helga's father began but Helga made her presence known at that moment.

"I want to go," she said quickly, stopping any protests. "This would be a great opportunity, I believe, and it would be foolish to pass it up."

"You've never spent a night away from family before," her mother murmured.

"I'm sure that with these lessons, Lady Ravenclaw and I would become like sisters," Helga said, smiling brightly. Rowena winked in her direction.

"Very well," Lord Hufflepuff said after sharing a look with his wife. "We shall accept your most gracious offer, Lady Ravenclaw."

"It is my pleasure," Rowena replied. "I'm sure after a few weeks under my tutelage, young Helga here will become a changed woman."

* * *

Nearly two weeks later, Helga and Rowena arrived on Ravenclaw lands, planning on spending the rest of the season away from court. They would return when the weather began to cool down and the harvest began.

Helga looked at Rowena's country home. It was a large manor but it didn't bustle with activity like Helga's home normally did during the summer days. It was quiet.

"Where is everyone?" she asked the dark-haired woman, who looked around.

"I do not know," Rowena said. "Inside, I would assume. It is raining."

Helga sighed. She was aware that it was raining. She was just confused. Never before had she seen such a lack of activity at a manor.

The manor was much busier inside, like Rowena had stated. Servants rushed around, still in the midst of preparing for their arrival. They curtsied or bowed when Rowena glided past.

"Show Lady Hufflepuff to a prepared guest room," Rowena ordered as Helga looked around. The maid curtsied and guided Helga away.

"The evening meal will be in an hour," Rowena said as she directed her trunks to be carried to her own rooms. "And then, I will show you what I truly brought you here for."

"No private lessons?" Helga asked. The older woman smiled mischievously.

"No, there will still be lessons," she said. "I promised your parents that I would teach you and I will. That wasn't an excuse to bring you here. You desperately need some work but that will change. The conversation after dinner will just be another set of lessons that I didn't inform your parents about."

After dinner, Helga trailed after Rowena. The dark-haired woman led her through the manor with a determined gait before stopping outside of a pair of large oak doors.

"My husband thinks that this is my sewing room," she said as the pair of women faced the front doors. "He never comes this way, nor do any of the servants. The unspoken rule of this manor is that I am not to be disturbed while sewing. To everyone except you and me, it looks like an ordinary room. They can't see what lies inside."

Helga looked at the dark-eyed woman curiously. What lay inside?

Her question was answered a minute later when Rowena pushed the doors open. Helga's jaw dropped open at the sight of hundreds of books and tomes. There were even some scrolls.

"A library?" she asked. Rowena nodded.

"Go inside," she ordered. "So I can close the doors."

Helga stepped inside. She looked around in amazement. She knew that Rowena was well read, especially as a woman, but she had no idea the woman had an actual library. Only the richest had libraries of this size.

"I'm a collector," Rowena said, pulling a book from the shelves. "When I learned about my gifts, I wanted to know everything I could about it. Most of the books came from my father when he passed."

"It's wonderful," Helga replied. "Are these all about magic?"

Rowena nodded.

"I have scrolls from Greece and Rome," she said. "And more from the East. A lot of them have some sort of preservation charm on their pages and binding. I'm in contact with a man with similar talents that buys the books and scrolls. I buy them from him and compensate him for his expenses and travels. He enjoys being sponsored and takes advantage to explore areas where others would dare not go."

"Have you read all of them?" Helga asked. Rowena smiled to herself as she stroked a finger down the spine of a book.

"Not yet," Rowena said. "I dare not bring these to court and I'm here in the countryside very seldom."

"Would you mind if I read some?" Helga asked cautiously. Rowena nodded.

"That's why I brought you here," she said. "At court, we can't talk about things like this but I figured you deserved to know. After my marriage to my husband, I was cut off from my family and until you came along, I had no one to talk to this about."

Helga smiled. Hopefully with these books, she would be able to find the answer to some of the questions that had been plaguing her since childhood.

What did other cultures think of magic? Were there magical creatures, like there were in the legends? Helga wanted to believe that there were creatures like dragons and unicorns, even though she had never seen them personally.

Helga spent the rest of the evening in the library. She experienced a brief moment of wonder when the candles lit themselves when the room grew too dark.

"How do you do all this?" Helga had asked Rowena. "I've never seen anything like it used on such a grand scale. At home, we only use magic for little things."

"A lot of experimentation," the older woman replied. "Some of the books have spells written in them. Others I came up with myself or were taught by my father. The magic users in my family have always loved to test the limits of our abilities."

"But to hide an entire library…" Helga said. "And to have the candles light themselves. That has to take incredible focus."

Rowena brought out the thin stick Helga had seen the day she had first seen the dark-haired witch.

"This helps," Rowena said. "It acts like a conductor of sorts."

"What is it?" Helga asked, reaching out to examine the object. Rowena handed it over, but she seemed hesitant to do so.

"It's called a wand," Rowena said as the red-haired witch turned the object over in her fingers. "It's made of wood and has a magical core. I believe this one has reed wood and the wing feather of a hippogriff."

"A hippogriff?" Helga asked. "What's a hippogriff?"

"A magical creature," Rowena supplied. "I've never seen one but they are described as being half of an eagle and half of a horse."

Helga's eyes widened.

"Where did you get this?" she asked a minute later, returning her attention to the wand.

"The man who buys my books has an older brother," Rowena said. "He makes wands for a living. He travels and one year he stayed with his brother. I was intrigued and I purchased a wand. Since then, my focus and ability has grown. The amount of accidents and outbursts has decreased in number as well."

The red-haired woman was jealous. She loved her magic but the risk associated with using it sometimes scared her. She knew it was because she had been tutored in using magic that she hadn't perished in an accident. Her mother's brother had and the story had stuck with Helga and her siblings until this day. The lesson was clear.

Magic was not something to be trifled with.

For the rest of the summer, Helga immersed herself in Rowena's library when the other woman wasn't insisting on training her how to act and dress properly at court. Helga had never had access to this amount of information before. It was one of the most wonderful things in the world to her.

As she scoured the library, an idea came to Helga. She had toyed with the idea when she had been a child before she realized that her idea was too big for one person. She didn't have the resources that were needed.

But with Rowena's help she might be able to…

"Have you ever considered…?" Helga heard herself saying before she could stop herself. Rowena looked up from her book.

"Considered what?" Rowena asked curiously. It was too late for Helga to turn back. She knew she should propose her idea to Rowena. The worst the woman could say was no.

"Opening a school for people like us," Helga continued. "There's enough books here that we could use them to teach students and we could get into contact with our old tutors."

"A school?" Rowena asked, tilting her head to the side. Helga nodded.

"How many children and families do you think have talents like ours?" she asked. "How many do you think have died in accidents because they couldn't control their gifts?"

Rowena sighed.

"It's a great idea," she agreed. "But it would be impossible to locate all the students. People wouldn't talk about this and they would deny having such gifts. It's a death sentence, remember?"

"What if there was a way to track them down?" Helga asked. "There was a book that was explaining different types of locating charms. One of those could be used."

"And then what?" Rowena asked. "The two of us go to all the families and somehow convince them that their children are special, without raising some type of an alarm? It can't be done."

Rowena looked around, finding other reasons to support her protests.

"We have the books," she said. "But we don't have a location for a school or the money to support one. It would have to be far away from any sort of village or city. We would have no way of transporting the students to the school, at least not discreetly."

The dark-haired woman sighed.

"It's a good idea," she admitted. "But there's no way we could go about it discreetly and it would have to be discreet, otherwise we would be caught and sentenced to die."

Helga nodded, feeling disappointed, and returned to her book. It had been worth a try. Rowena had good arguments and until they figured out a way to solve the problems presented, there would be no school.


	5. Chapter 5

All too soon, the summer was over, forcing Helga and Rowena to return to the castle and back to court life.

Rowena stepped out of the carriage, smiling softly. It had been nice to have some company for a change. Helga tumbled out after her, looking paler than normal. She didn't enjoy carriage rides. They were always too bumpy and stuffy.

"Thank you for visiting," Rowena said again, looking around warily for anyone that may be outside, despite the time. It was later in the evening. Most of the nobles had retired to their rooms or were attending the king and queen at whatever festivities that had been planned for the night.

"Are you going back to your rooms?" Rowena asked. Helga nodded.

"I need to rest after that journey," she explained. "And I need to greet my parents and inform them of my return. I'll see you on the morrow?"

Rowena nodded but her attention was distracted by a figure entering the courtyard.

"Rowena?" the figure called. The dark-haired woman stiffened as she recognized the male's voice. Watching closely, Helga could see her eyes dim and her face close off. The small smile that had been on the woman's face had disappeared.

Helga looked at the man curiously. He was a stern-looking man, tall, thin, and balding. He was much older than Rowena, who was just a few years older than Helga

"Husband," Rowena greeted the man quietly, nodding and folding her hands in front of her.

"I returned to court, only to hear that you went to the countryside for a few weeks," the man said. "I trust you were well treated there?"

Rowena nodded.

"The air did me good," she said quietly. "And I was able to rest. You know how stressful court life can be for me."

The man smiled dryly.

"Well, I'm glad that you returned tonight. I leave in the morning but at least I can have one night with you by my side."

The dark-haired witch wanted to grimace, to make any face that would show her disgust at the thought but she knew that she wanted to keep her husband happy. It was only for one night, no matter how much the idea had disgusted her. When they had first been married, Rowena had been with him for months at a time. He had been so desperate to get her pregnant then, to make her give him an heir. He still wanted an heir but gaining favor in the king's eyes had grown more important.

"Come on," Rowena's husband ordered. Rowena bowed her head obediently.

"I'll see you on the morrow," she told Helga quietly before following her husband. The red-haired woman watched them go quietly. She knew that Rowena was married but it had only been a distant idea. She hadn't seen Rowena's husband before, so the knowledge had gone to the back of her mind. It had been easy to forget about the man when he wasn't around, watching their every move.

* * *

The next morning, Helga found Rowena sewing quietly in one of the many sitting rooms at court, a book open in front of her. Rowena's eyes flicked from the book to her sewing and then back again. Occasionally the dark-eyed woman would put down her sewing to turn to the next page in the book.

Helga sat next to Rowena, who spared her a quick glance.

"Good morning," Helga said.

"Morning," Rowena replied quietly. Helga fidgeted for a moment, wondering if she could ask the older woman what was on her mind.

"Did you see your husband off this morning," she asked. Rowena gave a curt nod.

"I did," she said, voice cool.

"Is he from around here?" Helga asked. She had noticed a faint accent the night before. "I couldn't place his accent."

"He's a nobleman from Albania. That's where he was headed this morning," Rowena explained. "He was a childhood friend of the Queen and she keeps him around to hear news of her home. He travels between the two courts frequently as in his case, the Queen's wishes are the King's wishes."

"And you don't join him?" Helga asked. Rowena shook her head and set down her stitching.

"The climate in Albania doesn't agree with me," she said. "And the constant traveling tires me. I stay here to tend to the Queen while he's in Albania."

"It must be difficult," Helga commented. Rowena didn't respond.

"Does he know?" Helga prodded after a moment of silence.

"Know about what?" Rowena asked. Helga hesitated and looked around. She didn't want anyone to overhear her next question.

"About your…gifts," she whispered. Rowena stiffened.

"Of course not," she said. "I'm not mad. He'd drag me before the King and Queen if he knew."

"Isn't it hard?" Helga asked. "Keeping it from him?"

Rowena's lips curled up in a smirk.

"Women at this court keep affairs hidden from their husbands all the time," she said. "And most of the time, their husbands live at court as well. It's just as easy, if not more, to keep that part of my life from him."

Helga nodded and got to her feet. Apparently her husband and marriage was a sensitive subject for Rowena. The normally calm and cool woman had a frosty, but slightly amused tone in her voice as she talked about how her husband was unaware of her talents.

With a small bob of her head, Helga left the sitting room to go find something to do. Clearly Rowena wanted to be left alone. Maybe Helga could convince her father to let her go riding.

Or at least visit the market with her brothers.

* * *

The next day, Helga's father gave in to her wishes, not seeing a reason to deny her as long as one of her brothers accompanied her.

Since her brother was more accustomed to the atmosphere of the streets, he was in front of her. Helga was more easily distracted by the sights and noises than he was and moved at a slower pace.

They had been shopping for a few hours before Helga called out to her brother.

"Do you know a stand with some decent food?" she asked. "Nothing much, just something warm and filling." The day was chilly as winter came closer and Helga was constantly pulling her shawl and cloak tighter around her shoulders.

Tomus nodded and grabbed her elbow to guide her through the crowd.

"There's a stand that makes fritters," he said. "I don't know how they do it but these are the best fritters I've had. You'll enjoy them."

Helga laughed at her brother's enthusiasm.

They had to cross nearly the entire market to get to the stand. Helga could instantly tell that the stand was popular among nearly everyone. There was a large crowd of people around it, all yelling out orders. Helga's brother pushed his way to the front, tugging on his sister's elbow so he wouldn't lose her.

"Four fritters!" her brother shouted over the crowd. "Two with venison and two with apples!"

A wide-eyed youth shoved the ordered fritters toward them.

"Half-pence," she said. Helga's brother paid her with a shilling. The girl's eyes widened further, something Helga wouldn't have believed possible, as she accepted the payment.

"Thank ye, sir," she said. Helga accepted the fritters from her brother and began to turn away. She halted suddenly, having seen something out of the corner of her eye. However, when she turned back to face the girl who had handed her the fritters, she saw nothing.

Helga pushed her way out of the crowd, nibbling on the freshly baked fritters. Her brother was right. They were ordinary fritters, something Helga had weekly at home to eat, but there was something about them that made them taste better than normal.

Helga mulled over what she thought she had seen. It hadn't been much, just a small spark of color, but it reminded her of something she had seen before. It reminded her of some charms that she had performed to keep food warm when she had brought it to her rooms for a late night snack.

The teen's eyes widened. Of course. It would make sense and there was a slight possibility of her suspicions being true.

There was only one way to find out if magic was being used at the stall. Helga needed to find a way to talk to the girl and go about it in such a way that she wouldn't frighten the girl off. If she was too hasty or too blunt in her approach, the girl would panic and run off.

There was also the chance that the girl who ran the stand wasn't a magic user. It was just a new spice or a new way of making the fritters. Helga didn't know what she had seen, so it would be hard to prove that it was, in fact, magic.

It took some time but Helga managed to convince her brother to hang around the market until it started to close up. Once the fritter stand started packing up, Helga distracted her brother with a small errand so she could go and talk to the wide-eyed girl.

The girl had long hair that was tied back. It was a color between brown and yellow, which made her light-colored eyes more prominent.

"Hello," Helga said as she approached the girl, who jumped.

"Hello, miss," the girl said, giving a small curtsy. Helga wished that she had worn something a bit more plain, so it wasn't so obvious that she was nobility. Her rank would make the girl even more skittish.

"What's your name?" Helga asked.

"Hajna, miss," the girl said, curtsying again. "Hajna Hogwarts."

Helga pressed her lips together to keep from smiling or laughing. She knew the girl wouldn't appreciate it if she laughed at her name."

"Not a common name," she said. "Where are you from?"

Hajna shrugged. "All over the place, I guess. I never stay in one place for too long."

Interesting. The girl looked too young to be traveling alone.

"With your family?" Helga asked. The girl shook her head.

"No, miss," Hajna replied. "Me parents are dead and I've no siblings. I get by well enough by myself."

"How did they die?" Helga asked. She wasn't surprised to hear that they were dead. It happened all the time. Hajna looked uncomfortable by the question.

"Me mum died in a fire," she said. "And me da died of grief a few weeks later."

"I'm sorry," Helga apologized. Hajna waved the apology away.

"It happened years ago," she stated.

"How old are you?" Helga asked.

"Seventeen, miss," Hajna said.

"You've done pretty well for yourself," Helga commented, looking at the stand. Hajna looked at her feet and blushed, muttering a quiet thanks.

"You must have a talent," Helga continued. Hajna's shoulders tensed ever so slightly but it was enough to tip the red-haired woman off.

"It's just something I can do," Hajna muttered. "It's nothing special but it keeps food in me stomach and a roof over me head."

"It just happens?" Helga asked. "Something you can do that others can't?" Hajna gave a reluctant nod.

"Like…" Helga trailed off. She really didn't want to spook the girl off. It would be nearly impossible to find Hajna again if she ran off. "Magic?"

Hajna's reaction was immediate horror. She jolted and turned, preparing to flee, but Helga's brother had stepped up behind her. He had been listening for a few seconds and his eyes were sharp as he stared at his sister. They didn't talk about their gifts in public. It drew too much attention. His sister knew that and yet, here she was, talking to a girl she didn't know.

"This is my brother," Helga quickly introduced. "And don't worry. We won't tell anyone."

Hajna looked frightened but she reluctantly stayed.

"I don't know how it happens," she said quickly. "Me mum had a similar talent. It ended up killing her. She was heating up the food when she caught fire. Our house burned down, along with her. I don't do it on purpose!"

"It's okay," Helga assured the girl. "It's just something you were born with. It's a talent that not many people have but that doesn't mean that it's a bad thing."

"Don't tell anyone," Hajna begged. "I'll leave town if you want."

Helga's eyes widened.

"You don't need to do that," she said quickly. "I can teach you, if you'd like."

Helga was ignoring her brother's look of warning and his tight grip on her arm. It was obvious that Hajna wasn't trained to use magic, like Helga and her siblings. The lack of training had probably contributed to the death of the girl's mother.

"I can teach you," Helga said again, this time more determined. "To use this talent so that it's not using you. I can teach you more than you know right now. You can use this to your advantage."

Hajna looked unsure.

"I'm doing fine by myself," she said.

"It killed your mother," Helga reminded the girl. "Come to court and be my handmaiden and I'll teach you so it won't kill you as well."

Hajna looked frightened at the thought.

"I can't leave my stall," she protested. Helga sighed.

"I won't force you," she said, knowing that it was no use. Hajna was too frightened right now to see what Helga was offering to her. It would be an education that an orphan like Hajna normally wouldn't receive. "I just wanted to help. Find me at court if you change your mind."

As Helga turned away, Hajna darted away. Helga's brother followed the red-haired witch, disapproval in his eyes.

"What were you thinking?" he asked, voice tight. "Do you know how risky that was?"

"I just wanted to help her," Helga replied quietly. "She's already done so much. Can you imagine the potential she has? If she was trained, there's no telling what she could do."

"We can't go around asking people that," her brother scolded. "Don't you remember what the punishment is?"

Helga turned to her brother. Her eyes were cold and her mouth was tight.

"I remember," she snapped. "I just wanted to help her. She didn't have access to the resources that we did."

Helga's brother sighed.

"This is just like the time when you brought that injured hound into the castle, along with its puppies," he grumbled. "You can't help every poor creature that crosses your path."

Helga frowned.

"I don't," she protested.

"Yes, you do," her brother said. "Come on. Let's head back. It'll be dark soon."

Helga sighed but nodded. As her brother led her away from the market, she looked behind her. She hoped that Hajna would consider her offer. She didn't want the girl to die from an outburst of magic, accidentally.


	6. Chapter 6

A few weeks later, Helga was shopping in the market while her youngest brother was haggling a deal with a local blacksmith to fix the blade of one of his daggers. A girl approached her, looking skittish. It took a minute but when Helga recognized the girl, her eyes widened minutely.

"Miss," the girl said, greeting her with a curtsy. Helga gave the girl a warm smile.

"It's good to see you again," she said. "Why aren't you working at your stand?"

Hajna's cheeks reddened in faint humiliation.

"It burned down, miss," she explained, keeping her eyes on the ground. Helga murmured a sympathetic sound.

"Something went wrong," Hajna whispered. "It was like the fire that killed me mum."

"But thankfully you were unharmed, yes?" Helga asked. Hajna shrugged her shoulders.

"A few burns here and there," she said. "Nothing too severe. However…" she trailed off.

"Yes?" Helga asked, pulse quickening.

"I was hoping that your offer was still to be accepted," Hajna whispered. "The fire frightened me very much. I don't want to die like me mum."

A bright smile broke out on Helga's round face.

"Of course it does," she told Hajna. "Come to court and be my handmaiden and I will teach you what I know. I have a friend that may also help with your education."

Hajna looked relieved. She gave another curtsy, this one deeper than the first.

"Thank ye very much, miss," she said quietly.

"Do you need time to gather your things?" Helga asked. Hajna shook her head and held up her hand. For the first time, Helga noticed a sack in the girl's hands.

"This is all I have," she said. "I can come with ye now if ye need me, miss."

Helga nodded.

"We can go to the castle straight away," she said. "I will just tell my brother so he can escort us."

Hajna's eyes widened.

"But won't he be curious?" she asked. "That you've suddenly got a handmaiden?"

Helga shrugged her shoulders. She didn't often use such common gestures but there was something about Hajna that made Helga feel less like nobility and more like a regular girl. Besides, it served to make the other female more comfortable in her presence.

"Maybe," she said. "But my mother has always been urging me to get a handmaiden. I doubt many questions will be asked."

A faint look of relief crossed Hajna's face. Helga caught her brother's attention with a shout and beckoned him over.

"We need to go back to the castle," Helga informed her brother, who gave Hajna a curious look that quickly turned into a leer. Hajna shifted uncomfortable and Helga gave her brother a sharp look.

"Certainly," her brother replied and began to guide them away. Helga made sure to stand between her brother and Hajna, causing the large-eyed girl to give the young noblewoman an appreciative look.

By the end of the night, a cot was set up in Helga's room and things had been sorted. Lord and Lady Hufflepuff, while still wary, were much more understanding of the situation once Helga had informed her parents that Hajna also had the gift of magic.

Hajna set her sack of belongings under the cot and smoothed the blanket on the cot nervously.

"Will it be enough?" Helga asked. Hajna nodded silently.

"More than enough," she said with a soft smile. "Thank ye very much, miss."

"I will talk to my friend in the morning," Helga said. "Mother says that you should have the day off to get adjusted to court life and where things are at."

Hajna gave a nod, knowing that protesting wouldn't work. She was indebted to the Hufflepuff family now. They had already given her more than she had expected, so she wasn't regretting her decision.

"Good night, Hajna," Helga said, settling down in her bed. Hajna lay down stiffly on her cot, unused to the feel of the material and the stuffing of the mattress.

"Good night, miss," she replied, staring at the ceiling while waiting for sleep to come.

* * *

The next morning, Helga sought out Rowena. The woman was in the stables, feeding some of the Ravenclaw horses bright red apples.

"May I talk to you about something?" Helga asked the older woman, who gave a nod, indicating that she was listening despite not looking directly at Helga.

"A girl has recently come to me," Helga started to explain. "She has similar talents to ours and wants to learn."

An apple fell out of Rowena's hand. The dark-haired woman turned to face Helga, eyes wide with panic.

"Not here," she hissed, eyes darting around the stables to take note of any others in the vicinity. "Let's go somewhere else."

Helga didn't protest as the woman led her away, just taking Rowena's reactions in stride.

"You can't talk about that in public places," Rowena hissed once they were well away from the stables. "Anyone could hear."

"We were alone," Helga said.

"This is the royal court," Rowena reminded her sharply. "Even the walls have ears and eyes. Now what did you want to ask?"

"A girl came to me," Helga began again. "She's interested in learning about magic. I was wondering if you would be willing to help me teach her."

"No," Rowena said sharply. "You shouldn't even consider it, especially not in the castle."

"Where else, then?" Helga asked.

"Witchcraft is punishable by death," Rowena reminded her. "It would make things more scandalous if it was discovered that it was being practiced and taught in the royal family's household of all places!"

"We won't get caught," Helga said with confidence. "Will you consider it?"

Rowena shook her head, dark eyes wide.

"No," she said. "It's too dangerous. And you cannot guarantee that you will not be caught. As I said, even the walls have ears and eyes."

"I will take my chances," Helga said. "But you are welcome to come find us if you change your mind."

The red-haired woman felt that it was only a matter of time before Lady Ravenclaw changed her mind. Rowena had shown multiple times that she was eager to discuss magic with other magic users, having proven as much by seeking out Helga and taking her not only to the Ravenclaw estates but also under her wing at court. It was a rare opportunity for people like them and Rowena loved to take advantage of such opportunities.

Helga walked away from Rowena; able to feel the dark eyes staring after her, even long after she left Rowena's sight.

That night, Helga began to instruct Hajna in the art of using magic. She started with the very basics, the things she had first learned as a child because, despite being older than Helga, it soon became apparent that she had the control of a young child. Control was the part Hajna struggled with the most. It took a large amount of effort to perform the simplest of tasks, such as starting a fire or putting out a candle.

A few days later, Helga wasn't surprised to see Rowena enter the Hufflepuff rooms, looking hesitant and a bit frightened.

"We need to be careful," Rowena said. "But I will help."

Helga smiled.

"That is wonderful," she said. "We are working on control right now."

Rowena watched as Hajna tried to summon light to her palm.

"Hold," she stopped the girl suddenly. "Give me your hand."

Hajna reluctantly held out her hand. Rowena placed her hands underneath and over Hajna's hand and frowned.

"She has magic," she agreed, "but too much to be controlled simply. She would need a conductor to gain optimal control."

"A conductor?" Helga asked. "Like your wand?" Rowena nodded.

"What's a wand?" Hajna asked, pulling her hand away. Rowena pulled her wand out form where it was hidden in her sleeve.

"It has magical properties," she said. "It was specially made."

Hajna looked at the ground.

"I cannot afford anything like that," she said. "Not something special made."

Helga and Rowena traded looks. Helga gave a tiny nod.

"I will take care of it, if Rowena can introduce me to her friend that made her wand," she said. "I have been interested in getting one of my own."

Hajna started shaking her head back and forth wildly.

"You need not do that, miss," she said. "I will be fine without one."

"You won't," Rowena said softly. "You have magic stirring inside you and it will build if you do not use it. It will build until it explodes. The result could be deadly."

Hajna flinched.

"I will be fine without one," she insisted. Rowena sighed.

"Then I cannot teach you," she said. "For I only know how to teach those that use magic with a wand."

"We will find wands," Helga said. "I think that it would be for the best, especially if we take on more students. Maybe one day wands will be used by all magic users."

Rowena raised an eyebrow.

"Doubtful," she said. "But a pleasant idea. Magic would be more easily hidden and controlled if that were to happen. I will send a letter to my friend but in the mean time, we should stick with theory. It is less dangerous when you know the theory behind the magic."

Hajna grimaced. She didn't like the sound of this 'theory'. It sounded dull but she was starting to realize that most of her lessons would be dull until she gained the necessary control over her magic.

"I will fetch books from my room," Rowena said. Hajna frowned at her statement. Books? How would those help her when she didn't even know how to read?

"You brought some books back with you?" Helga asked, surprised. She would have thought that Lady Ravenclaw would have left her books at home, where there would be less chance for any spies to find them.

"Two or three," Rowena replied. "The writings at court can be so dull sometimes. I would rather read something that interests me. Besides, these books are not ones that can be easily identified. They are mostly legends and history."

"Legends?" Hajna asked. She hadn't thought that magic was old enough to have its own legends. Rowena nodded.

"Magic is as old as time itself," she said. "And much more curious to those that know about it. There are scrolls that debate that time is a type of magic itself."

Helga's eyes widened. Time was a form of magic? She would love to read those particular scrolls.

"Why would time be considered magic?" she asked before Rowena could scurry away.

"Because it is a concept of human beings," Rowena replied quietly. "Magic, like nature, has always existed. With magic and with nature, we create things and give them power. With that knowledge, is it not conceivable that we created time with magic and gave it power over our lives?"


	7. Chapter 7

Green eyes traveled around the large audience hall while a red-haired man waited patiently for his turn to speak with the king and queen. He already suspected that it would be a brief encounter, as he had nothing important to say, but it was needed. It was unthinkable for a noble to arrive at court and not have an audience with the royal family.

In the meantime, the red-haired man would enjoy the views that court life presented to him. He winked flirtatiously at a group of young ladies that were gathered on the other side of the room, talking quietly amongst themselves. They giggled at his wink before resuming their whispering, hiding their smiles behind their hands.

Lord Godric Gryffindor whistled cheerfully. Yes, it was good to be at court when there were such lovely sights to see.

After nearly an hour, the herald called Godric's name. The red-haired man straightened as he walked toward the throne. When he reached it, he bowed.

"Your Majesties," he said quietly. The king gave him a fond smile while the queen only nodded.

"Lord Gryffindor, it is about time that you have come to court. Your joyful presence has been missed," the king said as Godric rose from his bow.

"I would have come sooner had I remembered the beauty of the court," Godric replied.

"Your reputation precedes you," the king said. "It is also said that you are the best dueler in our lands. Do you confirm that claim?"

Godric smiled while holding out his hands.

"I have not dueled every man in your lands, Your Majesty," he replied. "Therefore I cannot truthfully claim that I am the best. However, I have never lost a duel that I have been challenged to."

"Are you challenged often, Lord Gryffindor," the queen asked in her smooth, low voice. Godric gave a hearty laugh.

"Only when husbands take offense to my presence," he replied. "It is more often than I care to remember."

The king laughed and the queen smiled.

"I hope to see if you are as truly good as they say," the king said. "I am sure it won't be long now before the husband of one of our court jewels wishes to challenge you."

Already Godric could see the noblemen in the room eyeing him, sizing him up if they should wish to offer a challenge. With his average height and build, he knew that most of them would deem him an easy opponent.

"We are glad that you are staying for some time," the queen said. "Your presence will always be welcomed to lighten the mood here at our court."

Godric bowed again and began to back away. He knew when he was being dismissed.

The young nobleman cheerfully whistled as he wandered down the corridors of the castle. He never understood why others were skittish and intimidated by court life. Godric thought it was wonderful. Of course, he was also the type of man that could never stay angry or sad for long. He was always positive and cheerful, letting nothing bother him for more than a few hours. He wasn't the type to hold grudges.

He knew that eventually he would have to find his uncle here at court but Godric would put that off for a few more weeks. He had no pressing urge to visit with his relatives, other than familial obligation.

Turning the corner, Lord Godric Gryffindor bumped into a young woman. He took in her fair hair and wide blue eyes before offering her a charming smile.

"Terribly sorry, my fair lady," he said with a small bow. The woman blushed.

"I apologize as well, my lord," she said with a deep curtsy.

"Might you direct me to the kitchens?" Godric asked as the woman tried to step around him. "I have been traveling for some days and traveling always enlarges my appetite."

The woman gave him a small understanding smile before rattling off directions to the kitchen. As she tried to leave once again, Godric rested a hand on her elbow.

"Might you show me?" he asked. "I would be the first to admit that my sense of the direction is not the best. In fact, it is perfectly frightful how bad it can be at times."

The blue-eyed woman gave him a nervous look but acquiesced.

"Are you new to court, then, my lord?" she asked as she began to lead him.

"Was it my lack of knowledge about the location of the kitchens that gave it away?" Godric asked cheerfully.

"I have also been at court for some time," the woman said. "And I have not seen your face among the others. I am certain that I would have noticed it."

Godric's ever present grin widened.

"I arrived earlier today," he said. "I am Lord Godric Gryffindor. What would be the name of my delicate escort?"

"Hajna, Lord Gryffindor," the woman replied with a small curtsy and blush. "I am a handmaiden for Miss Helga, the daughter of Lord Hufflepuff."

The rest of the journey down to the kitchens was silent. Hajna was nervous around the nobleman and Godric respected her need for distance. He wouldn't push himself on her or any other woman.

"The kitchens, my lord," Hajna announced as they arrived. Godric smiled and gave her a small bow as thanks. Hajna returned the gesture with a curtsy.

"I hope to see you around," Godric said smoothly. Hajna didn't reply. Instead, she took her leave of the man.

As she made her way to the Hufflepuff rooms, Hajna thought of her recent encounter with Lord Gryffindor. The aura around him felt strange to her. Hajna didn't fully understand auras and how they affected people but she knew that Godric Gryffindor didn't have a normal aura. Instead, his felt like Lady Ravenclaw's or like one of the members of Lord Hufflepuff's family. It felt…magical.

Hajna's mouth dropped open when she made the connection. Did Lord Godric Gryffindor have the gift of magic as well?

She considered bringing it up to Helga or Lady Ravenclaw but ultimately decided not to. She wouldn't say anything until she knew more about the man. If she caught him using magic, she would say something but until then she would keep her suspicions to herself.

* * *

A few weeks later, Rowena had been summoned to attend on the queen to watch the sports tournament that was taking place in one of the palace courtyards. That morning the queen was intent on watching the duels and it soon became clear as to why.

A certain red-haired noble was dominating the competition, winning duel after duel. As the final match started, Rowena excused herself from the queen, wanting to talk to her old acquaintance.

Rowena clapped a few times as Godric walked away from his opponent, sheathing his sword as the herald announced him as winner of the dueling tournament. The final ceremonies and award distributions would be given at the feast that night.

"Quite impressive, Lord Gryffindor," she said, following him out of the courtyard. "That sword works well with you."

The redheaded man gave her a wide grin.

"Lady Ravenclaw," he said with a bow. "I'm glad that someone as lovely as you was able to witness my victory."

"You're a flatterer," Rowena replied with a small smile. "Have you named your sword? I hear it's quite a trend these days."

Godric grinned.

"I named it Fawkes," he said. "It suits me quite well."

"Might I examine this lovely Fawkes?" Rowena asked. Godric furrowed his brow in confusion.

"What does a lady like yourself know about swords?" he asked in surprise. Rowena gave him a knowing smirk.

"A few things here and there," she replied. "May I?"

Godric handed her the sword hilt first. Rowena wrapped her hand around it and weighed the sword. It was perfectly balanced for a man of Godric's size, but just a bit on the heavy side. She examined the jewels in the hilt. They were real enough.

A small symbol etched into the hilt caught Rowena's eye. She looked at it closely.

So that was his secret.

Just to be sure, Rowena examined the metal. It looked like an ordinary blade to the untrained eye but Lady Ravenclaw had worked with the creators in the past. She herself had a small dagger with a similar blade.

"Goblin made," she said smoothly as she handed back the blade. "Quite impressive, Lord Gryffindor. Not many can get their hands on such a piece of art, let alone use it properly."

The red-haired man looked at her sharply.

"Pardon me?" he said. "What did you say?"

"It's goblin made," Rowena repeated. "It's a very loyal sword. You chose it well."

"How did you know that?" Godric asked warily. Rowena smiled.

"Like I said, I know a few things here and there," she replied. "Does the talent run in your family?"

Godric nodded.

"I assume there's a similar gift in your family?" he asked. Rowena nodded.

"As well as a few others here at court," she said. Godric looked surprised at her answer.

"How many?" he asked.

"Follow me and I'll show you, Lord Gryffindor," Rowena said before turning on her heel and walking smoothly away. The green-eyed man followed her out of curiosity.

The last place he expected to be shown to was a ladies' sitting room. Inside were two women, chatting quietly. He vaguely recognized one as a handmaiden he had tried to flirt with a few weeks ago but he hadn't recognized whom she served.

"Rowena, who's this?" A plump woman asked, looking at him curiously. Godric gave her a curious look as well. She was nobility of some sort, though not as lavishly dressed as he and Lady Ravenclaw were.

"This is Lord Gryffindor," Rowena replied. "He has talent similar to ours. Lord Gryffindor, might I introduce Helga, the youngest daughter of Lord Hufflepuff and her handmaiden Hajna."

The plump woman's eyes widened in surprise as she looked over Godric. The handmaiden looked triumphant.

"How did you find out?" Helga asked her friend. Rowena gestured to the sword at Godric's side.

"It's goblin made," she said. "One normally can't tell if they don't have the experience of handling goblin made objects. I've happened to come across one or two in my time."

"All three of you are—?" Godric asked, looking between the three women. All of them nodded.

"Have a seat, Lord Gryffindor," Rowena said. "You can tell us your story."

The man glanced at the door. Rowena brought out her wand and flicked a spell in the direction of the door.

"Don't worry," she said in a placating tone. "No one can hear us."

"Won't they be suspicious to see me talking to you three ladies?" Godric asked. Rowena shook her head.

"They'll just walk in the other direction," she said. "No one will even know that you've come here."

Godric nodded and sighed. He took the offered seat and made himself comfortable. He had a long story to tell.

"I was born nineteen years ago," he began. "My mother was a bastard daughter of the Duke of Cornwall's brother. When she died, he took me in with great reluctance. My father was unknown, so he was the only family I had left. I was a messenger in my youth.

"I probably would have remained a messenger boy had I not started having accidental bursts of magic. I tried to hide it as best as I could but apparently I did a shoddy job of it because a few days after I accidentally started a field on fire, my grandfather brought me to the Duke of Cornwall. Apparently magic runs in their blood.

"After they determined I had magic in my blood, the Duke forced my grandfather to adopt me as his heir. There was a brief family feud over it but eventually my grandfather acquiesced. He had no sons so I was the only male heir, despite my illegitimacy.

"When I first heard that I was the new heir, I was thrilled. That's the dream of every bastard. To have a family, money, an inheritance. Then I realized the responsibility that came with it. I had to learn things that others of my rank had been learning since birth. Not only nobility type stuff but also magic.

"I was a quick learner in most areas, especially in the practical arts. I soon proved a talent in dueling that had me gaining the attention of some important people, including their majesties. They requested I come to court a few times but my grandfather insisted that they were short visits. He never quite trusted my ability to hide our family secrets. He has the impression that I'm too rash.

"My grandfather passed away a few years ago and I gained the inheritance. However, he had put in a stipulation that I not manage the lands and money alone for the first year and a friend of the family oversaw my first efforts. We spent a year or two traveling after I had gotten things in order but early last year he had to return to his family."

"A much more adventurous life than our own," Rowena stated. Godric laughed at her comment.

"I'm not so sure about that, Lady Ravenclaw. With the way you examined my sword and from your past statements about interacting with goblins, I'd say you've had an adventurous life yourself."

"Hardly. I was just merely a girl, following my father around on his travels until I came of marrying age. My mother was much disappointed with me during my younger years."

"And has Lady Helga had an adventurous life?" Godric asked, turning to the younger woman. Helga's cheeks reddened.

"No, unfortunately not," she said. "This is the first time I have come to court and until that journey, I had never been off of my family's lands."

"A pity," Godric said. "I hope that you find a husband that enjoys traveling so you can go with him and see the world."

Helga gave him a tight smile and returned her attention to the book on her lap.


	8. Chapter 8

"You mentioned a friend, Godric, when you introduced yourself to us?" Rowena asked a few days later, when Godric had managed to sneak away from the men of court and spend time with the witches unnoticed. "One that your grandfather trusted?"

"Lord Salazar Slytherin," the red-haired man confirmed with a nod.

"Was he trusted because he shared similar gifts to ours?"

Godric nodded again.

"He taught me things that my grandfather could not or sometimes refused to teach me. I would dare say that his knowledge of our abilities rivals yours, Rowena."

"I had often wondered about the Slytherin line," Rowena stated, getting to her feet and stepping toward the bookshelves. "There were some rumors a few years back and then a few months ago."

"If there's rumors, wouldn't the king have executed him?" Hajna questioned. "It's well known that even rumors earn a death sentence."

Rowena smiled bitterly.

"The lords of Slytherin lands have always had their peculiarities," she said. "However, they provide much of the finances for the king, so he has a tendency to ignore the rumors. If he would end the Slytherin line, their monies wouldn't go to the treasury here, but rather abroad. The last thing the king would want is to execute his largest financer and through those actions, increase his enemies' wealth."

"They are a tricky family," Godric agreed. "The king is also hoping to find how the Slytherins get the money to finance him and wouldn't try anything until he figured that out."

"How do they?" Helga asked, looking between the two. To her surprise, both Rowena and Godric shrugged.

"He would be a good person to have supporting us," Rowena said, going back to why she had originally asked the question. "Godric, would you be willing to write him and see if Lord Slytherin and his family would come to court? After all, it would be scandalous if we went to visit him."

"I will," Godric agreed happily. "With any luck, my letter should reach him quickly and he will be at court within the month."

* * *

A month came and went and Godric did not hear from his friend and mentor, nor did Salazar arrive at court. It worried the younger man. Salazar may have been private and prone to drawing into himself but he had never ignored a request from Godric.

When a second letter went unanswered, Godric decided to take matters into his own hands. The king and queen wouldn't notice if he was gone for a week or two and if his journey stretched longer than that, he had a handful of excuses to offer up to them, along with a few gifts that would get him back into their graces quite easily.

Godric left at dawn the day after he decided to check on his friend and rode nonstop until he reached the Slytherin lands. The journey took two and half days, exhausting him and the horses he had taken, but upon reaching Salazar's home, Godric could instantly tell that something was wrong. The sky was dark and grey, despite being sunny a few miles down the road, and a feeling of tension hung over the unusually quiet home.

"Where is the lord of the house?" Godric demanded of the cook, who came rushing out to meet him with a tray of freshly baked items.

"It's been terrible, Lord Gryffindor," the cook cried. "I was going to write when some of the men said that they had seen you on the road. He hasn't left his rooms in weeks and just this week he's been refusing all of the food I've been sending up. You may be the only one to get through to him."

Godric frowned. It had been nearly a year since he had last seen his friend but Salazar had been in great health and ready to see his family. Any mention of his wife or daughters had brought a smile to the older man's face and on previous visits, the household had reflected the man's happiness and love for his family.

"I'll go see him now," Godric announced, pushing away the food that the cook was trying to shove into his hands. "If I have to, I'll drag him down for supper tonight."

"Bless your soul, Godric," the cook said as Godric strode away. She passed the tray in her hands to one of the cleaning girls passing by before rushing to the kitchen to start supper, looking forward to cooking a full meal for the first time in weeks.

* * *

Godric looked around the dark room with his arms crossed. He frowned before striding over and throwing open the drapes. The room's occupant hissed in displeasure.

"What's going on?" Godric demanded of his friend.

"I'm in mourning," the man snapped, an arm covering his gray eyes. "Can't you let me mourn in peace?"

"What are you mourning?" Godric demanded and then took a closer look at his friend. "Why is your hair gray? What was wrong with the color brown?"

"I'm mourning my family, you sod!" Salazar snapped, sitting up and glaring at Godric. "And you're being annoying, like always. I guess nothing has changed then."

Godric's eyes widened.

"What happened to your family?" he asked. "How did they die?"

"Murdered in a riot," Salazar replied, voice dull. "I came back and my soldiers took care of the rioters but we weren't in time."

"An uprising?" Godric asked in surprise. "Why would your villagers rise up against you? I thought they loved you."

"They did," Salazar growled. "Until this new group of travelers came to town. They were stirring up trouble for weeks, with their sermons and declarations. One of them was accusing people of witchcraft. It was creating quite a fuss."

"And you didn't do anything about it?" Godric asked in disapproval. Salazar glared at him.

"Of course I did," he said with a scowl. "My soldiers drove them out just before I left, since they were making the villagers frightened. I was gone for two weeks. They must have come back after I left."

"What sort of a group was it?" Godric asked. He had his suspicions, especially if members of the group were going around accusing villagers of witchcraft.

"A religious cult of some sort," Salazar said, confirming Godric's fears.

"I'm sorry," the younger man apologized. Salazar's glare softened.

"I know you won't let me mourn in peace," Salazar said. "At least not until you've told me why you are here. So go on then."

"You're going to eat first," Godric said. "I've been informed that you haven't had a decent meal in days."

Salazar didn't reply. Godric left the room, flinching when the door slammed shut behind him. Clearly Salazar no longer cared about keeping his gifts hidden from the staff. The grief must have been deeper than Godric first expected, as usually the man was paranoid about keeping his gifts secret.

There was a new tray of food, more fitting for a meal than just a snack after long travels. Godric grabbed it without a word, brushing off protests that he should have called it up instead of getting it himself.

"When did it happen?" Godric asked as he returned to his friend and set the tray down in front of the man. Salazar stared at the wall blankly.

"A week before you wrote me asking that I come to court," he said after a minute. "You understand why I didn't now."

Godric nodded.

"What happened to the ones that caused this?" he asked. A cruel smile graced Salazar's lips.

"I took care of them like they took care of my wife and daughters," he replied. Godric shivered at the malicious tone. The grief had affected his friend further than he originally believed. Instead of responding, Godric pushed a plate into Salazar's hand and didn't stop glaring until the man picked up a piece of bread and bit off part of it.

"I came here to ask you to come to court," Godric admitted once Salazar asked why he had come to visit in the middle of their small meal. The gray-haired man frowned.

"I'm mourning," he reminded his younger friend. Godric sighed.

"And I'm sorry for your loss," he said quietly. "But I think getting away from here will do you well. It's not doing you well, being surrounded by these memories. I wrote you months ago. Come to court. Some distraction will do you well, I think."

Salazar stared at his friend in disbelief.

"Come to court and mourn?" he asked. Godric nodded. "Deal with all that scraping and bowing and pitying looks that cover the greed and secret pleasure that hounds everyone in that infernal court?"

"You will be surrounded by friends," he pointed out. "Your presence has been missed and you've been asked after a few times. And a new lady might catch your eye. I've heard the stories about how you used to enjoy the court beauties more than me."

Salazar frowned.

"I'm not going to find another woman," he said. "It would be impossible to teach another woman to ignore the odd happenings around here."

Gryffindor smiled.

"I know three women at court with similar talents," he said, shifting in his seat. Salazar gave him a sharp look.

"You do?" he asked. Godric nodded.

"They're very lovely ladies," he said. Salazar's frown returned.

"Does the gift run in their families?" he asked. Godric didn't know how to respond.

"I think so," he said. "The young lady Hufflepuff claimed the gift ran in her family and her handmaiden claimed the same thing. I am unsure about Lady Ravenclaw."

Salazar's gray eyes nodded.

"Lady Ravenclaw?" he asked. Godric nodded.

"She introduced me to Lord Hufflepuff's daughter and the other woman. She recognized Fawkes as goblin made."

Salazar was silent for a few minutes, processing the information, before he changed the subject. "Have you still been dueling?" he asked. Godric nodded.

"Someone has to put those rambunctious young lads in their place," he said with a smile. "And since I can't easily practice my magic at court, dueling helps me retain my focus. The more energy I work out in duels, the more control I can maintain."

Silence fell over the room.

"So Lady Ravenclaw is a witch," Salazar mused a few minutes later. Godric nodded. Salazar snorted. "Should have known," he said. "Normally women of her stature aren't as well read as she is."

"Will you come to court and meet her and the others?" Godric asked. Salazar shook his head.

"I am content here," he said. "Let me mourn for a while more."

Godric nodded and he inwardly sighed. He was disappointed in the outcome of this visit but he couldn't bring back his friend's wife and daughters.

"Might I stay for a few more days?" he asked. "I'm not quite sure that you should be alone." Salazar snorted but nodded.

"The servants will make up a guest room," he said. "Just don't make a nuisance of yourself and get in their way like you always do."

Godric laughed and pushed some more food toward his friend.


	9. Chapter 9

Godric wasn't confident to be leaving his friend behind, fearing the other man might do something stupid still, but the morning he left, Salazar had at least left his rooms and was returning to eating normally. His brown hair was still gray and his magic burst out from time to time but the staff seemed to have relaxed and no longer seemed frightened out of their mind when a window or door suddenly flew open.

Since he was no longer worried about his friend, the journey back to the king and queen's abode and the rest of court life took much longer. Godric was willing to let his horse go at its own pace, silently apologizing to the animal for pushing it so hard the previous week.

When he returned to court and made his excuses to their majesties—presenting gifts from Salazar so they wouldn't be put out with the man from remaining away from court—Godric's first priority was to find his three lovely ladies.

If the girls were disappointed that Godric returned to court alone, they didn't show it. Instead, they treated Godric like he had never left.

In a way it was nice. Godric had never had a relationship where he could leave and things would go back to normal when he returned. Usually there would be a few days when he would dance around his friends and relatives before they would forgive him for whatever he had done to anger him and he would feel comfortable around them again.

By the end of the night, Godric found himself back in the sitting room, surrounded by some very different ladies. He was glad that the sitting room was hidden from the general public. It would have looked strange to see the four together. In normal circumstances, they would move in very different circles.

"What is the first step in planning something like this?" Helga asked, drawing Godric back into the conversation. She and the others had been talking about the school once again when the man had announced his return.

Helga glanced at Godric. Men normally took care of such things, right?

The green-eyed man shrugged his broad shoulders and he pulled out Fawkes for cleaning. He normally left such plans to villagers or his relatives. He had always found it to be too tedious.

Rowena resisted a sigh when she spotted Godric's actions and the blank looks of the younger witch. It seemed like she was the only one who knew what to do. She had a feeling she would control most of the plans when it came to building the school.

Inwardly she was thrilled. This could be her masterpiece, the thing she had been looking for to challenge her for the past few years.

"We decide how we want the school to look," she said. "How large the rooms should be and how many there should be. We also need to plan for the amount of floors we want and how many rooms will go on each floor or tower. Then we need to plan for corridors and staircases. Once we know how large or small the building will be, we look for a location and once we find the location, we can find the builders and begin building."

Godric sighed. It sounded like a lot of work to him. Still, he knew that this would be a large and difficult project when he had originally agreed to help. Rowena had said that it would take years before the school would open. They had to be careful with their plans so that they didn't fall into the wrong hands. Because of this, planning would go slower than normal.

Helga's blue eyes had widened when Rowena started to list off all that needed to be done. That was just for planning the building of the school. That didn't include the actual building or furnishing or planning how the school would run. She had always known that it would be a difficult dream to achieve but she hadn't known how impossible it could seem. However, she should not have been surprised. She had always been told that it was a difficult path to make dreams into reality.

Rowena's eyes flickered to Godric and Helga's faces. They were the typical nobles, she realized. They had never fully understood how complicated this could be. They wanted something to be built and expected it to be built overnight. The dark-haired woman wanted Hajna to return. At least the fair-haired girl would understand what it meant to work hard.

Just as she thought about Hajna, the girl bustled in, looking harried.

"I apologize for my lateness," Hajna said quickly. "Another maidservant requested help with mending curtains and kept me until it was finished."

"It is all right," Helga said with a reassuring smile. "We have not been here long. We just started talking about the planning of the school."

Hajna looked surprised.

"What have you decided?" she asked.

"Nothing," Rowena said. "I was just reminding them of the work that will go into this. This is no small project."

The fair-haired girl nodded in understanding.

"We should delegate tasks," she said. "It will make the planning go quicker."

Rowena agreed.

"You and I will start the building plans," she said. "Godric and Helga can start thinking of classes and topics that are necessary for an education in magic."

While playing to their strengths, Rowena also had arranged the pairings so that she could ensure that the planning went according to her. Godric and Helga would agree with whatever she decided since they would feel that she knew best. Helga and Godric would also be more comfortable planning academics. They had studied enough that they would know what would be necessary for learning and with his travels, Godric had a better knowledge of what others valued elsewhere.

"I know nothing of planning how to build a school," Hajna informed the dark-haired witch.

"I suspected as much," Rowena said. "Do not worry. I can take care of most things. However, it is always nice to have a second opinion."

"How does Lady Ravenclaw know so much about building?" Hajna asked. "Is not the lord usually in charge of such matters?"

Rowena smiled bitterly.

"Lord Ravenclaw is often gone to the court in Albania," she said. "In his absence, I as Lady Ravenclaw am put in charge of such matters. I have overseen the building of storage houses and additions to the Ravenclaw manor, as well as a village hall when the old one burned in a fire."

"A woman of many talents," Hajna murmured. Rowena nodded.

"Helga will be expected to learn such things quickly once she marries but for now, people would be surprised if she had such knowledge. It's not normally expected of the youngest child, particularly if that child is a girl."

"It's very different," Hajna mused quietly. Rowena nodded with a small smile. Yes, it could be quite different.

"Shall we begin?" she asked. Hajna nodded and glanced down at the plans. It looked like a mess to her but she trusted the other woman to explain it.

* * *

The group of four worked throughout the night, not knowing then that this would become their norm. Planning the school required meeting almost daily if they wanted to start it within the next decade and it was vital that as much planning got done as soon as possible. Things could change overnight, depending on their majesties moods and the expectations of their families. Rowena could be sent to the Ravenclaw lands by her husband at his whim and Helga's parents could change their minds about subjecting their daughter to court life and send her home, only bringing her back when it was time for a marriage. Godric's presence at court largely depended on how well he could keep the queen and her ladies entertained without offending the king.

"Some of this planning is impossible to do without a general location in mind," Godric said one night. "We can plan as much as we want but some of the things we want to do are dependent on where we build this school. The materials we build with and the help we can get all depends on the location."

"Well, the school would have to be in an area that is mostly uninhabited," Rowena said. "On unclaimed land, if possible."

"The only land like that around is to the far north, near Scot territory," Godric said with a frown. "That could be dangerous, seeing as they don't like Englishmen."

"It would be impossible to build there for any length of time," Helga pointed out. "Too many questions would be asked if I or Rowena would make frequent travels to the north when we have no need to be going to the region."

"I've already thought about that," Rowena agreed. "Godric would be the only one who could go and supervise the building. Once the school was up and running, we all would have to make choices—to leave the life we know to run and teach at the school or to pass it into the hands of people who could be there at all times. It won't be an easy decision to make."

Helga frowned, not liking those words. She wouldn't like the idea of leaving her family but the decision seemed easy to her. The school was her idea, her dream. Why would she pass it off to someone else when her dream had just come into being?


	10. Chapter 10

Salazar stared out the carriage window dully, looking at the crowd of people. They looked so happy, so…unaware of the horrors of the world. He could tell which ones had families, which ones were well fed and had a roof over their heads every night. Many of them probably had no idea what it was like to have their family, their entire life ripped away from them in one brutal move.

Salazar Slytherin thought he would have been able to escape the brutality of life but he ultimately hadn't been able to. Religion and the way it affected people had been his family's downfall.

The carriage jolted to a stop. Salazar braced himself against the window to prevent from tipping out of his seat. There was a shriek of surprise.

"Watch yourself!" he heard the driver of the carriage shout. Salazar rapped on the ceiling, a signal that he wanted to get out. His legs were stiff and he needed to walk about, so this was a perfect excuse.

"What happened?" he asked as the driver opened the carriage door.

"Just a woman not looking where she was going, sir," the driver responded. Salazar looked around and spotted a woman about the age of seventeen or eighteen sprawled in the dirt. Her wares were spilled around her.

"I saw where I was going," she snapped as she got to her knees. "I was in a hurry to get back to my home and I wasn't expecting the carriage to be traveling so fast. Especially in the city!"

"The lord has a message to relay to the king," the driver snapped. "It's important and you have delayed us!"

A small smile crossed Salazar's lips. The girl was fiery. It was a trait that he didn't often see in women. Most women were meek and obedient nowadays.

He hated those traits. It had taken the first year of marriage to break his wife of those habits. It had also taken nearly that long to acclimatize her to the occasional odd displays of magic.

They had raised their daughters to be brave and to speak their minds. He knew that it wouldn't be appropriate court behavior but he hadn't been raising them for life at court. He had been raising them to be strong, knowing that life could always bring troubles on a whim.

Looking at the woman who was gathering her wares, Salazar's eyes widened. With her round face and wide eyes, she reminded him of his deceased wife.

"What's your name, woman?" he asked. She glanced sharply at him.

"Nothing of importance," she replied. "And I will be moving on now. I wouldn't want to keep the lord from delivering his message."

With that last comment, she disappeared into the crowd. The driver snarled at her retreating back. The gray-eyed lord walked around for a few seconds before returning to his seat in the carriage.

"Carry on," he said. The carriage moved on.

* * *

Godric leaned against the wall, eyes trained on a group of women. He smiled as they glanced his way and smirked to himself as they giggled and fluttered their fans. A few even adjusted their dresses.

It was good to be considered attractive. It made enticing women easier.

Godric still had no urge to marry a noblewoman and settle down but he had no problem with looking. Looking was easy.

The red-haired man was preparing himself to go over and talk to the ladies when a familiar passing face caught his eye.

"I don't believe it," Godric said. "Lord Slytherin!"

The gray-haired head glanced in his direction.

"Lord Gryffindor," Salazar said. "Still lurking about court, are you?"

Godric smiled.

"What brings you to court?" he asked. "The last time we talked, you were quite adamant about staying at your manor."

"I had to deliver a message to their majesties," Salazar replied.

"And now?" Godric asked. "Are you returning home?" That would be the most logical thing his friend would do. Much to his surprise, Salazar shook his head.

"His majesty has asked me to stay for a while," he said. "So I am to stay at court until his majesty tires of my presence."

Godric smirked.

"You will be here for a while, then," he said. "The Slytherin family has always intrigued their majesties. I doubt that they will tire of you anytime soon."

"Then I will stay here until they do," Salazar murmured. Godric nodded.

"Well, now that you are here for a time," he said. "Will you be interested in meeting Lady Ravenclaw and the other ladies I told you about?"

Salazar thought for a few minutes before nodding.

"I would be," he said. "Is there a private place for meeting?"

Godric's smile grew.

"I know just the place," he said.

The last place Salazar expected his friend to lead him to was a sitting room in the corner of the castle. He had expected to be led to Godric's private rooms or a secluded garden, not an ordinary sitting room.

Then he glimpsed runes carved into the bottom layer of stone. So it was hidden with magic. Interesting. Not many would dare to use magic in the castle where the king and queen made their home. Most would be too paranoid to even consider it.

"Who hid this place?" he asked. "Who altered it so that this room couldn't be perceived by those that don't have the gift?"

Godric looked surprised by the questions.

"I should have known that you would notice the spellwork," he said. "I suspect Lady Ravenclaw did so, since she was the one that found this room originally. Lady Ravenclaw has been at court the longest."

Salazar raised a thin eyebrow. Lady Ravenclaw was intriguing him more and more.

Without knocking, Godric walked into the room. Salazar trailed behind, looking around the room. It was an ordinary room but he could pick out spots that had been altered by magic to hide something. Judging by the size and shape, he would guess that they were books.

"Who's your companion, Godric?" A plump woman asked, getting to her feet. Godric beckoned Salazar further in to the room.

"This is Lord Salazar Slytherin," he announced. "The friend that I have talked about before."

"The one with the gifts?" A dark-haired woman asked, also getting to her feet. Godric nodded and the woman smiled.

"Welcome, Lord Slytherin," she said. "I am Lady Rowena Ravenclaw. This is Miss Helga Hufflepuff—" she gestured to the plump woman, "and this is her companion, Miss Hajna Hogwarts."

To Salazar's surprise, Rowena gestured to a wide-eyed girl. It was the same girl he had seen at when riding in to the city. The girl gave him a curt nod.

"We encountered each other briefly," she told the others. "His carriage is the one that nearly ran me over."

"I apologize," Salazar said smoothly. "My driver can be a bit brash at times."

Hajna scoffed.

"Are you at court long, Lord Slytherin?" Rowena asked.

"Until their majesties grow tired of my presence," Salazar replied with a nod.

"Has Lord Gryffindor told you of our goal?" The dark-haired woman asked, retaking her seat. Helga followed suit. Godric gestured to a free seat for Salazar.

"The school?" the gray-haired man asked. Rowena and Helga nodded.

"We have started making plans," Helga said. "Of course, they are only plans now. We haven't found the proper location yet and of course we need to locate the students but little by little we have planned it."

"And the funds to run the school?" he asked. The three women and Godric traded looks.

"We have some," Godric said. "Not nearly enough but I suspect it will take a few years to build up all the funds that are needed."

"No need to worry anymore," Salazar said. "I can take care of the funds."

"How?" Godric asked. Salazar's gray eyes dulled.

"I no longer have five dowries to pay for," he reminded his friend. "And I have investments that are doing quite well lately."

"Thank you for your contribution, Lord Slytherin," Rowena said quietly. "I heard about your loss. I am sorry. I met your wife once before your marriage. She was a lovely woman."

Salazar's mouth tightened and he gave a curt nod.

"She was," he agreed. "And she would approve of your plans. She always insisted that our daughters be well read and educated."


	11. Chapter 11

Helga sat at her desk and twirled the quill in her hand. She knew that it would be risky to send a letter, in case it was opened and read, but she did not have the opportunity to talk to her mother personally. A letter would have to suffice, despite the risks. She would just have to be careful when penning her words. She could say nothing that would implicate her of witchcraft.

_My dearest mother_ , she began to write.

_I hope that this letter finds you well. Life at court has been treating me well but I find myself missing home. There are many questions I have and I often find myself searching for your wisdom._

_I especially have questions about keeping a manor or house. Being at court has me often thinking of marriage and I realize that I do not have the necessary knowledge to run a home smoothly. I barely know how to keep the Hufflepuff rooms here at the castle clean, even with a large amount of servants at my disposal. I now appreciate how you have always managed to keep the Hufflepuff manor clean with only a handful of servants. Might you share your secrets sometime?_

_My wishes to you and everyone in Hufflepuff manor,_

_Helga Hufflepuff_

Helga sat back and reread the letter. It was simple enough and to anyone that might read it before her mother it would sound like a foolish girl writing to her mother. Only her mother would understand what Helga was asking.

Or so she hoped. There was always the chance that her mother might miss what Helga was truly asking but the red-haired girl doubted it. Her mother was clever and missed nothing. She had to be to keep control of Helga and her brothers for all those years.

Helga folded the letter and wrapped a piece of water-resistant parchment around it. Then she sealed it with wax and used her ring with the Hufflepuff coat of arms on it to mark the seal. When she was finished, she went in search of a messenger.

There were always a group of messengers that hung around the stables. Those that were free always kept an eye on the horses and carriages. If they were at the stables, it was easy to borrow a horse or barter a ride in a carriage at a moment's notice.

Much to Helga's joy, there was a Hufflepuff messenger waiting with the other messengers. She beckoned him over.

"A letter for Lady Hufflepuff," she said. "I know that there is a bag leaving in the morning for the Hufflepuff manor. Might you add it to the other messages?"

The messenger nodded.

"I will deliver it quickly for you," he said with a bow. Helga curtsied in gratitude before turning to return back to her rooms.

It would take a handful of days for the letter to reach her mother. The messenger wouldn't return until he had rested at the manor for a week or more. Then it would be another few days as he journeyed back. Helga couldn't expect a reply until a fortnight had passed and that was if her mother responded right away. It could take up to three months before she would receive a reply. If it took longer, then Helga would send another letter.

In the meantime, Helga would see if Rowena had any advice. She doubted that the woman had brought any new books back at court but maybe she had read something. If she didn't, Helga would begin experimenting with spells.

* * *

Nearly four weeks later, Helga received a reply from her mother. It was short but it helped her immensely.

_My dear daughter,_

_The messenger I sent this with you can trust. He knows of our gifts, as he has a similar gift. Any letters of such matters you should send with him and only him._

_The answer to your question is house-elves. Clever creatures and not easily found. There is one in Hufflepuff manor. For a family of our size and a manor of our size, one is enough to be advantageous. For something the size of the royal court, over a dozen would be employed had the royalty accepted the existence of magic and not declared it a crime._

_If you are looking for a house-elf, I would start by traveling. There are countries where the practice of our gifts is more acceptable and more easily discussed. The older manors in such countries would most likely have house-elves, especially if they are supervised by those with magical blood._

_I hope your questions have been answered._

_Be safe and be well,_

_Lady Hufflepuff_

Helga's hands shook as she read the letter. Once she finished reading it, she went in search of Hajna, Rowena, Godric, and Salazar.

"House-elves," she announced with a smile. "That is our answer! House-elves!"

"What are house-elves?" Godric asked, glancing at Rowena and Salazar. Rowena looked confused.

"They have not been mentioned in the books and scrolls that I have read," she said. "I have never heard the term."

Salazar smoothed his beard.

"I have heard the term," he said. "They are curious creatures, or so I have been told. I have never seen one though."

"There was one at Hufflepuff manor," Helga said. "When the court goes on progress in a few moons, I think I will go searching for them."

"And if you cannot find any?" Rowena asked. Helga's face fell.

"I will," she said stubbornly.

"Rome?" Hajna suggested quietly, reading the letter Helga had handed her. "Or Paris? They are old cities and no one would question your travels there. Many young ladies travel to see His Holiness or to learn culture in the court of France."

"An escort would be needed," Rowena reminded Helga and Hajna quietly.

"One of my brothers," Helga said. "They are always interested in traveling and meeting new women."

Godric hid a smile. He acted similarly.

"What will Lady Ravenclaw and Lord Slytherin be doing during the progress?" he asked. Rowena frowned.

"I will be returning to Ravenclaw lands," she said. "It has been some time since I visited and it is time to go over the books once again."

Godric made a face. Bookkeeping. He could never find the appeal of such a menial task.

"I have business to partake in, both abroad and in my lands," Salazar said vaguely. "I will also try and raise funds."

"Funds?" Godric asked. Salazar nodded.

"For our project," he said. "I have to use alternate channels so the king will not become suspicious."

"Alternate channels?" Rowena asked. Salazar nodded but didn't elaborate. He tended to keep his dealings with the goblins private. The goblins loathed it when business was made public knowledge. They thought that it affected their business dealings and believed that if others of the goblins' clientele learned of special deals being made or of differing interest rates, they would demand the same treatment.

"And you, Lord Gryffindor?" Salazar asked. Godric glanced at the others.

"I will be staying with the progress," he announced. "I feel that it would be wise to keep an eye on the politics of court, in case we should be threatened in any way. The king and queen may not be suspicious currently but the whims of royalty are easily changed, dependent on the day and the weather."

"Not to mention the numerous feasts and tournaments that will be hosted," Salazar remarked. Godric gave him a playful glare. Helga and Hajna giggled at the interaction between the two men.

"Added bonuses," Godric replied. "I can never turn down a good time."

"Do not let a good time distract you from the secrets you hide," Rowena said quietly. "And win a few tournaments if you will be traveling with progress. Otherwise the noblemen will become too complacent and over confident."

Godric smirked and gave a mock bow.

"I shall do your bidding," he said. "Might I have a favor to wear next to my heart when I defeat men for your honor?"

"Do not be foolish," Rowena said but her dark eyes glimmered with humor. "That is jousting and you are a horrible jouster. Stick with dueling and fencing."

Hajna was bent in half, hands resting on her legs as she tried to control her laughter. She was failing. Helga had pulled out a fan and was hiding her laughter behind the thin material. Salazar smirked.

They would miss days like this, Godric thought. Days when they could be themselves without the pretense of nobility and court proceedings. The progress would separate them for a year, if not longer.

A few months later, the progress had begun. A fortnight before the progress had begun, Helga and Hajna had left for France, accompanied by two of Helga's brothers. Seven days later, Salazar had left to go find the goblins and to conduct his business. Godric and Rowena had said their goodbyes when their friends had left before saying their own goodbyes. Godric's things had been packed into wagons and his horse was saddled. Rowena had planned to wait two days after the court had left before returning to Ravenclaw lands.

"Write occasionally," Rowena said. "Keep me updated on the workings of court."

"I will," Godric promised. "Have a safe trip home and may it be quick."


End file.
